Bobbin tip support for magazines



Nov. 11, 1952 HALL 2,617,449.

BOBBIN TIP SUPPORT FOR MAGAZINES Filed Dec. 9, 1950 FIGJ INVENTOR KENNETH J. HALL mw-ww ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 11, 1952 BOBBIN TIP SUPPORT FOR MAGAZINES Kenneth J. Hall, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 9, 1950, Serial No. 20 0,03?

9 Claims. (o1. 1s9 251) This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms more particularly of the bobbin changing type and it is the general object of the invention to provide improved means for controlling the yieldable supports for the tips of bobbins in a reserve bobbin magazine.

In a weft replenishing loom which has gone into general use the reserve bobbins are held in a magazine provided with guideways down which the bobbins move by gravity. The magazine has two stacks of bobbins for the replenishment of two different shuttles and the outer or tip end plate of the magazine is provided with a yielding bobbin tip support for each of the guideways. Each tip support is provided with an adjustable stop and is acted on by a spring to hold the tip support in normal position. Each spring permits its tip support to be moved by the tip of the bobbin when the latter is being transferred. The lower ends of the guideways are inclined toward each other and the magazine is mounted pivotally so that it can be swung to locate the lower bobbin of either guideway in transfer position under a transferrer hammer or arm.

It is an important object of the present invention to simplify the resilient means used to hold the bobbin tip supports in their normal position, this means preferably including a single spring operatively engaging both tip supports and. yielding so that either support can be moved when an associated bobbin is being transferred. Since the magazine is mounted for pivotal motion transfer can occur from only one of the stacks of bobbins at a time and the resilient means for the tip support is therefore never required to yield for both supports simultaneously.

As the bobbins in each stack move to transfer position some form of stop means must be provided to prevent a bobbin tip in one guideway from moving into the other guideway. It is a further object of the present invention to dispose the resilient means for the bobbin tip supports so that it acts as a stop for the tips of the bobbins in both guideways and prevents the tips from passing from either guideway into the other.

The bottom of each giveway' has a bobbin delivery mouth located between a pair of bobbin supporting means one of which is the aforesaid tip support. This mouth opens downwardly from the bottom of its guideway and it is a further object of the invention to locate the aforesaid spring for the tip supports so that it extends upwardly across the lower ends of the guideways above the mouths and assists in guiding the low- 2 est bobbin in each .stack toward its delivery mouth. The spring for the tip supportsis preferably supported solely by the supports, although this is not essential.

While the invention is shown herein as associated with a rocking magazine having two stacks of bobbins certain features of the invention are not necessarily limited to a magazine of this type.

With these and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is setforth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the lower part of a reserve bobbin magazine having the invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 22, Fig. 1, looking outwardly from the center of the magazine and showing the bobbin tip supports in normal position,

Fig. 3 is a detailed horizontal section on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-,4, Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the spring which holds both of the bobbin tip supports in normal position.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the magazine M has an inner bobbin guiding plate I at the left of Fig. 1 for the butts 2 of the reserve bobbins and has also an outer plate 3 for the tips of the reserve bobbins. The two plates are held together by the tie rods one of which is shown at 5 and the magazine is provided with a transferrer arm 6 operating in usual manner and having a foot l to engage the bobbin butt of the bobbin being transferred and having a second foot 8 to engage the yarn wound on the reserve bobbin being transferred. The magazine is mounted for rocking movement on a pivotal support 9. A magazine of the general type shown in Fig. 1 is set forth for instance in prior Patent No. 2,128,974 to which reference may be had for further details of the magazine.

The plate 3 is provided with flanges i0 and H which define a guideway I? for the tips of the front stack of bobbins designated at BF. This guideway at the lower end thereof is inclined downwardly to the left, Fig. 2, to provide a relatively short run l3 which extends between the lower end [A of flange l0 and the lower end 15 of the flange ll. Rotatably mounted on the extension I4 is a, roll Hi to engage the right hand part of a bobbin tip I1.

In similar manner, the end plate 3 is provided with another guideway for the tips of the rear stack of bobbins indicated at BR. This rear tip guideway is located between flanges 2! and 22 the lower ends of which are inclined downwardly and toward the lower end of the first named tip guideway between flange extensions 23 and 24 to define a run 25 similar to run l3. A roll 26 similar to roll 16 is mounted for rotation on the flange extension 23 and engages the left side of a bobbin tip 21 as shown in Fig. 2.

The plate 3 is provided with a wall 30 which extends across the bottom of the plate and is preferably integral with the guideway defining flanges to hold them in fixed relative position. Secured to and extending outwardly from the wall 30 is a pivot stud on which are pivotally mounted front and back bobbin tip supports 38% and 37, respectively. These supports are provided respectively with studs 38 and 39 which extend through a slot 40 formed in the wall Bil. These studs have mounted thereon bobbin tip engaging rolls 4! and 42, respectively, which align more or less with the previously described rolls l5 and 26 as will be apparent from Fig. 3. The rolls iii and 42 are positioned for engagement with the tips I! and 2?, respectively, of the bobbins in lowest position in the associated guideway. As shown in Fig. 3 the rolls 4! and t2 are spaced from the wall 30.

The supports 36 and 3? are provided at their upper ends with laterally extending arins t5 and 3-5, respectively, each provided with a stop screw 4? adjustable with respect to the associated lateral arm and positioned for engagement with a stop stud 43 fixed with respect to and extending outwardly from the wall at.

The present invention relates more particularly to the spring means which holds the tip supports 36 and 3'5 in normal position. As shown for instance in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 there is provided a single spring 58, such as that shown in Fig. 5, having the ends 5| and 52 thereof curved or bent to engage the studs 38 and t9, respectively, between the rolls 4! and 42, respectively, and the wall 39. This spring is supported by the studs 38 and 38 and extends upwardly from the studs across the lower end of each of the bobbin guideways. Spring 5%! acts to hold each of the stop screws M against its corresponding lug 8 and serves to hold the rolls ll and 42 in their normal positions shown in Fig. 2.

Defined between the rolls 1% and ll is a downwardly opening bobbin tip delivery mouth 55 which communicates with the lower end of the bobbin tip run i3, and in similar manner a dowardly opening mouth 55 communicating with the lower end of bobbin tip run 25 is located between the rolls ZB and 42. The spring so extends upwardly with respect to these mouths and has sides 57 and 58 extending respectively across the adjacent ends of the bobbin tip runs l3 and 25. The Spring 5!! is made of a single piece of leaf spring material arched as shown in Fig. 5 with the sides 5'! and 58 joined by a top 59.

Under normal conditions the parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 2 with bobbin tip I? supported by rolls l5 and ii above the delivery mouth 55, and with bobbin tip 2? similarly supported on its rolls 26 and 42 above the delivery mouth 56. The magazine will ordinarily be tipped slightly as shown in Fig. 2 with the lowest bobbin in the front guideway [2 under the transferr'er arm 6 in position for transfer, and with the lowest bobbin of the other guideway 20 out of position for engagement with the transferrer hammer. The magazine can however be rocked to reverse these conditions so that the lowest bobbin in the rear guideway 20 will be under the transfer hammer and in transfer position.

If it be assumed that a transfer is to occur with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2 the transferrer hammer 6 will descend and move the lowest bobbin BF downwardly so that its tip ll will effect relative separation of the rolls l6 and ll by movement of the latter and pass down through the delivery mouth 55. After the transferring operation has been completed the next lowest bobbin in the stack [2 will move by gravity down the run I3 and if it tends to overrun its bobbin tip will engage the side 5'5 of the spring 59 and will be stopped in the position from which it can fall by gravity onto the rolls I6 and 4|. The spring thus acts to prevent the bobbin tip from passing into the run 25.

During the transfer operation the spring will be deformed by having its curved end 5: moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 while the curved end 52 remains stationary so that only one of the ends of the spring will be moved.

If the magazine be rocked about its axis so that the lowest bobbin in the guideway 20 is in position for transfer the bobbin tip 27 will be pushed down through the mouth 56 and cause movement of the roll 42 to the right, Fig. 2, to move the rear end 52 of the spring 58, while the front end 5| remains stationary. In this condition also only one end of the spring will be moved. As the next bobbin in the rear stack 56 moves to lowest position the side 58 will act as a stop to limit movement of its bobbin tip in a direction away from the roll 26 in the same manner that side 5'! of the spring had limited motion of the tip of the next bobbin moving into low position away from the roll it.

The spring 59 need not necessarily be of the exact form shown in Fig. 2 but it is desirable that its sides 51 and '58 shall extend across the lower ends of the runs I3 and 25, respectively, to a sufiicient height to prevent the tip of a bobbin moving toward lowest position in its stack from becoming misplaced.

The plate 3!! need not necessarily be provided with the rolls [6 and 26, but the latter when used will serve as antifriction bobbin tip supports which, however, are preferably not mounted for bodily movement with respect to the plate 3. The supports It and Al may be considered as a pair of bobbin tip supports one of which is moved with respect to the other by the tip of a bobbin being transferred.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention sets forth simple means by which the bobbin tip supports or giveways can be held in normal position by a spring or the like which acts also as a stop for bobbins moving to the lowest position in the associated guideway. Both tip supports are held in their normal position by a single spring and the conditions of bobbin transfer are such that the spring is subjected to deformation by but one support at a time. The spring extends across the lower ends of the guideways or more particularly the runs l3 or 25 for the tips of the bobbins in such position as to prevent the bobbin tip in one run from moving into the other run. The spring extends upwardly from the delivery mouths fi'c' and 5'6 and assists in correctly placing a bobbin tip with respect to its pair of supports. Also, as will appear in Fig. 3, the lower ends of the spring 50 are located between and confined on one side by the wall 30 and on the other side by the rolls M and 42. While the spring has been set forth as controlling two bobbin tip supports certain features of the invention are not necessarily thus restricted. The spring in efiect operates as a combined means for returning each tip support to its normal position and as a stop for the tip of a bobbin moving to lowest position in its guideway.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes and modification of the foregoing specific disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In 'a reserve bobbin magazine having a guideway for the tips of reserve bobbins which move one by one to a delivery mouth at the lower end of the guideway, a bobbin tip support at one side of said mouth, a second bobbin tip support at the opposite side of said mouth mounted for movement away from the first named tip support, and a spring urging the second support toward the first support and extending across said guideway in position to limit motion of the tip of a bobbin moving toward said mouth.

2. In a reserve bobbin magazine having a guideway for the tips of reserve bobbins which move one by one to a delivery mouth at the lower end of the guideway, a bobbin tip support at one side of said mouth, a second bobbin tip support at the opposite side of said mouth, means mounting the second support for movement toward and from the first support, and resilient means urging the second support toward the first support and yieldable to permit relative separation of said supports to enable the bobbin tip to move out of said mouth, said resilient means extending upwardly from said second support and across the lower end of said guideway in position to engage and limit motion of the tip of a bobbin moving toward said mouth.

3. In a reserve bobbin magazine having a guideway for the tips of reserve bobbins which move one by one to a delivery mouth at the lower end of the guideway, a bobbin tip support mounted for movement at one side of said mouth moved from normal position by a bobbin tip passing through said mouth, and a combined support return means and bobbin tip stop acting on the support to return said support to normal position after passage ofa bobbin tip through said mouth and extending across the lower end of said guideway to limit motion of the tip of a bobbin moving toward said mouth.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said combined support return means and bobbin tip stop comprises a leaf spring 'operatively connected to and extending upwardly from said tip support.

5. In a reserve bobbin magazine having a guideway for the tips of reserve bobbins which move one by one to a delivery mouth at the lower end of the guideway, a bobbin tip support located at one side of the mouth and mounted for movement on the magazine in a direction to widen said mouth by a bobbin tip passing downwardly through said mouth, and a combined tip support return means and bobbin tip stop effective to return the support to normal. position and extending into the path of a bobbin tip moving towrd said mouth to arrest motion of the bobbin tip when the latter is over said mouth.

6. In a reserve bobbin magazine having two bobbin tip guideways, bobbin tips moving down each guideway to a delivery mouth at the lower end of the guideway, a bobbin tip support for each g'uideway mounted for movement on the magazine at one side of the corresponding mouth, and a spring engaging both supports normally maintaining the latter in normal position but yieldable to permit either support to be moved by a bobbin tip passing through the associated mouth, said spring extending between the lower ends of said guideways to prevent a bobbin tip in one guideway from moving into the other guideway.

7. The structure set forth in claim 6 wherein said spring extends upwardly from each tip support and across the guideways above said tip supports.

8. In a reserve bobbin magazine having a bobbin tip end plate provided with a wall, a bobbin tip support pivoted on the wall of said end plate and extending through said wall, a bobbin tip engaging roll spaced from said wall and rotatable on said tip support, and a spring engaging the tip support between said wall and roll normally holding the tip position.

9. In a reserve bobbin magazine having a guideway to direct the tips of reserve bobbins along a path to a delivery mouth at the lower end of the guideway, a bobbin tip support at one side of the mouth, a second bobbin tip support at the opposite side of the mouth mounted for movement away from the first named tip, and resilient means urging the second support toward the first support and extending into said path of the tips of bobbins moving toward said delivery mouth to limit motion of said tips.

support in bobbin tip supporting KENNETH J. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,354,285 Turner July 25, 1944 2,474,641 Turner June 28, 1949 

